Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Art: Frazer Irving
Lettering and Production: Joe Caramagna
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $3.99
Release Date: August 14th, 2013
I have to start this by saying that I am loving the direction that Bendis is taking the X-Men. His books are giving me connections to heroes that I haven't really cared about before, introduced new heroes to me and reminded me why I have always had a love for my mutants,
This issue, although not the most action packed, continued to build the relationships between the characters. I think one of the more interesting things in this issue is the focus on Magneto and Maria Hill. His odd betrayal not betrayal of the X-Men is interesting. I want to know if he is actually trying to play S.H.I.E.L.D. or if he is actually upset enough with Scott to give information to the government.
I also really enjoyed seeing a basically civil rights protest about mutants being treated equally. There is a nice reference to how the mutants during AvX started trying to make the world a better place instead of destroy it which proved that not everything Scott was doing was terrible. It is also refreshing to see Bendis actually refer to the event instead of just ignoring that it went down fairly recently.
I am insanely interested to see what is going to happen with the sentinels, the new students of the school and the old X-Men members. Bendis has done a masterful job to keep my attention and it has been a pleasure to pick this and All-New X-Men up every month.
I'm curious what you think of Irving's art. While I was able to tolerate it through the Limbo storyline since they were, after all, in a hell dimension, I couldn't stand it here. I just don't think his style is right for this book. Browsing the online collective it seems some agree with me, while others flat out love it. His unique style seems too polarizing to be indifferent to, but since you didn't mention it one way or the other I just had to ask!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm kinda sick of Mystique.
I am definitely not an expert on art so I try to not put too much of my opinion about it down in initial posts unless something truly blows me away. As for Irving's art in this book, I feel that it is fitting. I feel like this darker team of X-Men is struggling to find themselves and the darker art fits. There are moments in the book where it truly seems perfect (when showing the people standing in a crowd, calling to the X-Men) while others it is just...there. I agree that his work in the limbo stuff was amazing but I think I need another book to see if I would say that I love his art direction now.
DeleteAs for Mystique...yeah, she is getting old. Especially with her almost comedic appearance in "Wolverine and the X-Men" during the Hellfire Club arc. She is somehow over and underused when she appears. There are tons of other mutant enemies, I hope we see more of them soon.